Bank-robber trap.



E. E. NUNN.

I BANK ROBBER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. I916.

fi mfifim Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

E. E. NUNN.

BANK ROBBER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1916.

Patented J an. 30, 191?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- v E. E. NUNN.

BANK ROBBER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21. 1916.

Patented Jan. 30,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3:

Wk zoom ELBEET E. NUNN, OF HEALVERN, ARKANSAS.

BANK-RUBBER TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jano 3G7, llQ EL XQ Application filed may 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,262.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ELBERT E; NUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malvern, in thevcounty of Hot Spring and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bank-Robber 'l raps, of which the following is aspecification.

' This invention relates to improvements in bank robber traps for use in banks and similar institutions and has particular application to an electrically operated trap oor.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide ahank robber trap for use in banks and analogous institutions which may be installed in the main doorway, at the entrance to the vault and at other places, and which will be capable of vertical sliding movement and may be mounted in the wall of the structure above the doorway so that the trap door may belowered across the protected doorway.

It is also my purpose to provide a door of the class described which may be lowered and raised under the action of electric motors under the control of switches located at difierent parts of the structure in which the door is installed so that the door may be controlled from a remote point so that a.

burglar passing through the doorway may be trapped in the compartment into which the doorway opens.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a trap door of the type set forth which may be elevated and lowered. under the action of electric motors and which will he so constructed that, when in lowered position, the inside of the door may he charged with an electric current so as to prevent the trapped robber from tampering with the door.

A further object of my invention is the provision oi a motor controlled trap door wherein the circuits of the motors will be automatically broken as the door reaches the limit of its movement to open position and to closed position, thereby deenergizing the particular motor and preventing waste of current With the above and other ohjects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinai'ter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a trap door constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same and the guideway for the door. Fig. 3 is a similar View taken on a plane parallel with Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view through the guideway for the door, 1 Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the door showing the inside of the door wired so that the door may be char ed with an electric current. Fig. 6 is a iagrammatic view showing the circuit arrangement for the control of the motors:

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1, 1 designate'the vertical jamhs of a door frame, while 2 indicates the head piece arranged across the doorway and having the opposite ends thereof secured to the upper extremities of the jambs l. The iambs l, l are of greater width than the doors that are associated therewith and control the door opening usually and secured to the inner surfaces of the respective iambs 1 and of a width corresponding to the surplus width of the jambs are vertical plates 3 preferably composed of glass and having the inner surfaces formed with vertical grooves l. The wall above the door opening is formed with a vertical compartment 5 of a width equal to that of the doorway and the lower end of the compartment 5 opens into the doorway through a slot 6 formed in the head piece 2. Arranged in the compartment 5 and capable of vertical sliding movement through the slot 6 to close the doorway ,is my improved door 7 which is preferably formed of glass and secured to the side edges of thedoor 7 Y are vertical rack bars 8 adapted to ride in the grooves d in the plates 3 respectively. Mounted upon the head piece 2 adjacent to the respective ends of the slot 6 and suitably fastened to such head piece are electricmotors 9 and 10 and keyed upon the armature shaft of each motoris a pinion 11 that meshes with the adjacent rack bar 8.

, The motor 9,is connected in an electric circuit 12 including a suitable source of electrical energy and a circuit breaker 13 arranged at the upper end of the groove 4 in one of the plates 3 and under the control of a lug 14: secured to the adjacent side edge of the door at the upper end of the latter. Connected across the circuit 13 are push buttons 15 which maybe located in con loo venient positions and suitably spaced apart. The electric motor 10, which is designed for the purpose of raising the door, is connected in an electric circuit 16 that includes a suit-' able source of electrical energy and a circuit breaker 17 arranged in one side wall of the compartment 5 above the other plate 3 and under the control of a lug 18 fastened to the corresponding side edge of the door at the upper end thereof.

Suitably secured to the upper end wall of the compartment 5 is an automatic door clamp 19 that is adapted to engage the upper end of the door, when the latter is elevated, to hold such door in the compartment 5.

in practice, the door 7 is normally elevated and disposed in the compartment 5 and is held in such compartment by the clamp 19. Let us assume that the door is installed in the vestibule of the front doorway of a bank and that a robber passes through this doorway into the bank and holds up the cashier or persons in charge of the bank, forcing them to go into the vault of the bank; one

of the autho'rities or employees of the bank presses the button 15 in his vicinity, thereby closing the circuit of the motor 9 and in the operation of the motor 9, the pinion ll meshing with the rack bar 8 slides the door 7 downwardly across the door opening, thereby trapping the robber in the bank building.

in accordance with my invention, the inner surface of the door 7 is equipped with a screen 21, formed of intersecting wires capable of conducting an electric current, and one terminal of this screen is connected to a lug 22 secured to one edge of the door and adapted to engage a circuit closer 23 when the door reaches the limit of its downward movement. The other terminal of the screen is designed to engage a contact 2% carried by the adjacent plate 3. The circuit closer 23 and the contact strip 24!: are connected to a source of current of suflicient voltage to adequately electrify the screen. 21 so that when the door is in closed position the robber trapped in the bank will be prevented from tampering with the door.

Arranged at the lower ends of the jambs 1 are leaders 24: composed of rubber or other narrates suitable material and designed to cushion the downward movement of the door.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, 1 wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing'from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with one wall of a structure formed with a doorway and with a compartment above the doorway, of a door frame in said doorway having the head piece formed with an elongated slot establishing communication between the doorway and said compartment, a door mounted in said compart- .ment and capable of vertical movement through said slot across said doorway, an electric motor mounted upon said head piece and connected to said door for lowering the latter, an electric motor mounted upon said head piece and connected to said door for opening the latter, a screen on the inner surface of said door capable of conducting an electric current, a source of energy for said screen, and means controlled by said door in the downward movement thereof to connect said screen to said source of energy upon the door reaching the limit of its downward movement.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with one wall of a structure formed with a doorway, of a doorcapable of vertical movement across said doorway, an electric motor connected to said door for lowering the latter, an electric motor connected to said door forraising the latter, a screen on the inner surface of said door capable ofjconducting an electric current, a source of energy for said screen, and means controlled by said door in the downward movement thereof to connect said screen to said source of energy upon the door reaching the limit of its downward movement.

In testimony whereof-l afix my signature.

nnennr n. near. 

